D’Tigress Ezinne Kalu Signs HARDSHIP Contract with WNBA Side Atlanta 

The Atlanta Dream have signed Ezinne Kalu, a Nigerian Olympic and D’Tigress basketball standout, to a seven-day hardship contract.

Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that this move marks Kalu’s entry into the WNBA, following her impressive performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Ezinne, who led Nigeria’s D’Tigress to a historic quarterfinal appearance in Paris, expressed her excitement about the opportunity on social media. 

“Delayed does not mean denied,” she posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account, reflecting on her long-awaited chance to play in the WNBA.

According to the club website, Kalu’s experience and ability were the driving factors behind the decision to sign the outstanding Nigerian star.

“The 5’8″ guard brings a wealth of international experience to the Dream,” the team said in a statement.

Ezinne averaged 18.5 points per game at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing fourth in scoring behind Emma Meesseman (Belgium), A’ja Wilson (USA), and Satou Sabally (Germany).

She stood out for D’Tigress in the surprising victory over Australia, scoring 19 points, five assists, five rebounds, and three steals.

Ezinne’s excellent Olympic performance earned her a position on the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Second Team, solidifying her place as one of the competition’s top players.

Ezinne is originally from Newark, New Jersey, and has attended Savannah State University in Georgia.

During her undergraduate career, she helped the Tigers win their first MEAC Championship in 2015 and became the first player in school history to reach 2,000 career points.

The Atlanta Dream’s move to sign Kalu comes as they seek to enhance their roster. The seven-day hardship contract enables teams to temporarily add players when numerous roster members are unavailable due to injury, illness, or other reasons.

As Kalu prepares to make her WNBA debut, D’Tigress followers will be eager to see if she can translate her international success to the highest level of women’s professional basketball in the United States.